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Meanwhile, John Bryant, who is an urban wildlife consultant, believes that such attacks by foxes should not be blown out of proportion.

Mr Bryant, who was awarded the RSPCA Queen Victoria Gold Medal for his animal welfare work in 2014, has pointed out that around 7,000 people are victims of dog bites each year while 4,000 are treated for cat bites.

He said: "With foxes, I would say it's about two a year. The chances of anybody being bitten by a fox are minuscule.

"I've worked with foxes for about 45 years and I've never come across an aggressive one."

However, he does note that it was around the time of year when young cubs were beginning to explore without their parents.

Mr Bryant added: "The youngsters are all over the place. They're like teenage hooligans.

"If you leave a door open, they're likely to jump in because they're very curious.

"To a fox walking in and seeing a finger hanging down, it could be like sausages."